NASA has its fingers crossed that Curiosity -- the biggest and most expensive Mars rover ever built -- makes a safe landing on the red planet.

Touchdown is set for Monday around 1:30 a-m E-T.

Brock University geochemist, Mariek Schmidt has joined a team directing Curiosity to look for evidence of life on Mars.

Schmidt is one of about 200 international scientists and engineers in California.

Schmidt’s mission is funded by the Canadian Space Agency.

Schmidt came to Brock in 2005 and is currently an assistant professor in its earth sciences department.

The mission will last around 2 years.

She will return to St.Catharines in November and keep tabs on the mission from Niagara.